Thoughts
by Joelpup62
Summary: McGonagall’s thoughts when she first sees Harry and friends and enemies, and during their sorting ceremony and feast. A little bit from Dumbledore’s point of view too. ADMM at the end. Please read and review.


**Title: **Thoughts

**Summary:** McGonagall's thoughts when she first sees Harry and friends (and enemies), and during their sorting ceremony and feast. A little bit from Dumbledore's point of view too. ADMM at the end. Please read and review.

**Disclaimer:** All places and characters in Harry Potter world, belong to J.K. Rowling

It's always the same every year. I wait just behind the castle doors. Waiting until I hear Hagrid's distinct knock. Every year we get a new bunch of students whose faces always have that anxious look. They have absolutely no idea what's in store for them. The best seven years of their lives are before them.

However, there is something different about this year. It might be that these are the children of people who I once taught. Many of whom, were my little lions.

"_THUMP THUMP THUMP."_

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

I loved to watch the students stare in awe at the entrance hall, especially the muggleborn students. They always looked as if their lives had just begun. They had not yet experienced the true wonders of Hogwarts though.

I led them across the hall into that familiar chamber just to the left of the Great Hall where the rest of the school sat anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new students.

As I gave them my routine welcoming speech, I studied each of their faces. My eyes automatically fell upon a tall boy with flaming red hair and freckles. Naturally I assumed that he must be a Weasley. He also had a lot of dirt on his nose, which irritated me more than it normally would, probably due to the fact that I assumed he would become one of my little lions. I prayed to Merlin that he wouldn't be as much trouble as his twin brothers, George and Fred. Perhaps he could take after Percy, though, hopefully not as uptight.

And there he was, standing right next to Mr. Weasley. Albus had told me that summer, not that I needed any reminding, that Harry Potter would be coming to our school that year. He looked so much like his father, but he did have his mother's eyes. His hair stood up in the same way that James's always had. After I told the first years to smarten themselves up, I couldn't help but notice the way he tried to flatten down his hair. I smiled to myself, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle.

Then my eyes fell upon a round-faced boy. He didn't remind me of Frank Longbottom as much as he did Alice. They shared many similar features. They had the same round face and eye color. I hoped he would have his parents' talents. I knew I would pity him throughout his stay at Hogwarts. I knew his parents well, and news of their tortures upset me so greatly. He was in good hands with his Grandmother though. I went to school with her, and she was a woman who loved her children and grandchildren more than they may ever know, and, in Frank's case, I knew he would never know. It pained me to know that this school and once been the home of the people who did this to the Longbottom family.

In the back of the crowd of first years, I saw a pale boy with white-blonde hair talking to two boys who stood beside him as if they were his body guards. I didn't need to search my mind for long to guess who this boy was. He was a Malfoy. If my memory served me correctly, the Malfoys had been in Slytherin for quite a long time. Severus would be pleased to have at least three boys join his house.

Standing a little apart from the crowd was a girl with bushy brown hair who seemed intent on listening to every word that came out of my mouth. She reminded me of myself when I was in my first year. I was always a bit separate from the crowd.

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

I left them alone and walked into the Great Hall thinking about what this new school year would be like. I wondered what these students would grow up to be. Some of them might become a valuable asset to the wizarding community and maybe, one student in that group would grow up and become a teacher at this school.

When Albus gave me the signal saying that he was ready for the students, I returned to the chamber I had left them in. I returned to find the ghosts with the children, so I asked them to move along.

The students formed a line on my orders and we proceeded into the Hall. All eyes were on us, and I knew that the first years were terrified out of their wits.

I led them up to the head table where Albus and all of my fellow colleagues sat. Albus gave me a friendly wink so I put the traditional four-legged stool down with the Sorting Hat on it. It sang its song as usual and I smiled to myself when it mentioned the brave, daring, and chivalrous ways of Gryffindors.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,"

After I called a few names, Lavender Brown became the first new Gryffindor. A short while later, I called out the name Hermione Granger, who turned out to be the bushy haired girl, and I was quite pleased when she turned out to be a Gryffindor. Soon after her, Neville Longbottom came, and, as expected, he was sorted into Gryffindor. I did wonder though, why the sorting hat took so long to decide where he should go.

A short while after Mr. Malfoy's "bodyguards," Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were sorted into Slytherin. Draco Malfoy had hardly sat down on the stool before he was sorted into Slytherin. He was joined by his "bodyguards," Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

"Potter, Harry"

As expected, when I called out his name, whispers broke out all over the Great Hall. I knew the boy would have to suffer a great amount during his years at Hogwarts. People were bound to stare and point at him for something that he doesn't even remember. I was very happy to have the son of two former Gryffindors to join the house as well, but I was better at containing my joy than my lions were. The Weasley twins took it upon themselves to chant "We got Potter!" over and over again.

When it was Ron Weasley's turn to be sorted, he sat on the stool for mere seconds before he was sorted into Gryffindor, much to the pleasure of myself and, his brothers.

I took the Sorting Hat away and took my seat next to where Albus was usually sitting. At the moment he was standing up and looking at all of the students with that familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

I smiled and shook my head, but not in a disapproving way. I always found the speeches Albus made, most amusing.

"Ahh, Minerva, I love it when you smile like that. It's always on such a rare occasion that I get to see you at your most beautiful moments."

"Are you flirting with me Albus?"

"Isn't it my right to flirt with my beautiful Deputy and wife?"

"Hmm, I see your point."

_Dumbledore's POV_

Albus reached under the table and squeezed his wife's hand. He had seen the way she looked at her students before. He knew she cared for each of her students just as much as he cares for them.

"It looks like we've gotten a fair few Gryffindors this year. You looked quite pleased when Mr. Potter was sorted into your house."

"Well, not nearly as much the Weasley twins seemed to be."

_McGonagall's POV_

Albus couldn't help but chuckle at this comment.

When the time came, Albus stood up and gave the students his routine welcome speech. I knew that the only thing that got him past making these speeches was getting to the school song. He loved to hear the children sing and he was more than happy when he got to conduct the Weasley twins in their slow funeral march version of the song.

After the feast, Albus took me up to his office to play our usual start-of-term chess game.

"You know what Minerva."

"What Albus?"

"I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting year."

How were we to know that this year would be a little more "interesting" than either of us had dreamed?

_**Finite**_

A/N: This was my first Fic. Just click that button. I'd appreciate it a lot.


End file.
